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1 player Mets must trade before spring training
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- 1 player Mets must trade before spring training
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The last thing New York Mets fans want to hear is that president of baseball operations David Stearns and the front office should look to trade another player who could help them put a winning product on the field in 2026. But one youngster with real upside might be more of an asset on the trade market than on the bench.
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Mets infielder Ronny Mauricio made his major league debut in September of 2023, but has struggled to carve out a place of his own in Queens. His talent is unquestionable, but the Mets' current alignment does not seem as though it will be an environment that affords Mauricio the chance to thrive in the short term.
"He's in a tough spot, and it's a tough spot for me, too," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told Mike Puma of the New York Post in September.
Ronny Mauricio has real upside
© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The 24-year-old boasts the kind of versatility that most general managers would love to have on their roster. Mauricio can play shortstop, second base, and third base. Additionally, he is a six-foot-four athlete with a strong arm and a power stroke that could ultimately work wonders if he's allowed to receive consistent playing time.
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Across 87 career games, Mauricio has mashed eight home runs, collected 19 RBIs, and posted a .655 OPS. After missing 2024 with a torn ACL, he competed in 61 games in 2025, blasting six home runs and earning a .663 OPS. According to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 76th percentile in terms of Arm Strength. At the plate, he flexed an average Exit Velocity of 91.2 MPH. At his best, the switch-hitter can offer electric power, and it could be argued that the Mets have yet to unlock his true potential.
"He's going to be aggressive — that's part of what makes him who he is," Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com in June. "He's an aggressive hitter, and he's going to go out there and he's going to hack. We will continue to teach him. We will continue to present ideas of how we can help him continue to get better."
New York chose to give others, such as Brett Baty , Jeff McNeil , Luisangel Acuna, and Mark Vientos , the majority of reps at third base and second base while All-Star Francisco Lindor continued to be the team's everyday shortstop.
"It's not an easy situation for a young player," Mendoza said of Mauricio's situation during the 2025 campaign. "But the way he's handling it is being completely a pro."
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Mauricio only returned in June of 2025, which likely placed him behind others in the pecking order from the moment he was able to grace the diamond. By that point, others like Baty and Vientos had already shown flashes of dependability.
The Mets' infield is still crowded
Despite the changes that New York has undergone this winter, the infield will remain a crowded space as the 2026 season looms.
Earlier this offseason, the Mets traded longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for veteran second baseman Marcus Semien . While New York did trade McNeil to the Athletics , Baty, Vientos, Lindor, and free agent signing Jorge Polanco figure to round out the club's infield.
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Injuries and other setbacks might make it necessary for Mauricio to play more this upcoming season, but he may not produce the best possible results without a clear runway to work through the ebbs and flows of a long season.
As a result, trading Mauricio along with other prospects in an exchange for a player who fits the Mets' current needs could be the smartest course of action ahead of spring training.
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